Hill Magic
by sepiasilk
Summary: Luna Lovegood has a taste for adventure, fueled by her parents' indulgence and the rich stories her father tells her every night. But what happens when she wanders a bit too far and lands somewhere quite unexpected? DMLL, preHP wizarding world.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, I have no intention to infringe on copyright, yada, yada, you know the drill.

**Summary: **Luna Lovegood has a taste for adventure, fueled by her parents' indulgence and the rich stories her father tells her every night. But what happens when she wanders a bit too far and lands somewhere quite unexpected? DMLL, pre-HP wizarding world. I'd love to know what you think about this fic, please R&R!

**Hill Magic **by sepiasilk

There was always, of course, the option of staying in the sun room. It was well-lit, although not as interesting as the library. Her nanny, Adelaide, was directing needles into silk and gossamer with her wand, her mother, radiant and bubbly, was fixing the violets arranged in her hair, which was swept up in a loose bun. Luna's mother always smelled of lavender and cotton sheets, and she had hands so soft she could fall asleep resting her little face on it.

It was June, and a mild summer morning. The men of the house--her grandfather, her father, and her two uncles--had gone hunting, and she, her mother, and their servants were the only ones left. The house elves, according to Adelaide, were cooking up a storm in the kitchens--the hunting party was rather large, and some wives of the party were coming for lunch later. Luna's mother had overseen the decorating and the planning for the food herself, and was resting for a bit before she went into the dining hall for a last look.

"Adelaide, have you any idea what time the boys will be back?"

"That I don't, Lady Ursula, I'm sorry. Lord Rufus has been preparing for this hunt all spring, what with all the foxes and deer and the other hunt he's brought into the forest. Methinks that from the look of it, them boys would be out all the morning."

"I hope Andrew is holding out fine, you know how he hates hunting,"

"Mister Lovegood is a fine sort, my lady. I'm sure he's giving your father no trouble,"

Ursula smiled at her old nanny and turned to her daughter, giving Luna's hand a squeeze.

"There, love, your hair's all done."

"Can I go back to the library, mum?" Luna loved being in her grandfather's house. It was a bit scary, yes, but interesting. Rufus Glasbrow loved going to different places, and he filled his house with things from his travels--maps, carvings, ivory statues, fine china. And books--her grandfather loved bringing them home above all. Luna was allowed to read some of them, and they spoke of magical, faraway lands with pearl dragons and floating palaces and eight-winged horses.

"Very well, but don't wander outside without company,"

Luna had no reason to go out. She loved the house and all its rooms and hallways. The house elf stationed in that particular wing of the house opened the double doors for her, and Luna went inside, running to her favorite armchair and pulling up a book. She read and read, leaving the house, zooming through other lands. She devoured page after page, giggling and gasping like she was watching a play unfold before her.

"Do you always read like you're insane?" A small, haughty voice said, and Luna looked up. A boy stood in the doorway, looking like he was a year or two older than her. He had hair so blond it was almost white, and he was staring at her with mixed disdain and open curiousity. _His eyes are gray,_ she thought. _I have never seen eyes as gray as his before._

"Do you always enter rooms without knocking?" She said back pleasantly. Whether it was because of her words or her manner, Luna did not know, but when she spoke the boy lost some of his demeanor.

"Your house elf opened the door, I only walked down the hall. Anyway, you're not from here, or I would have seen you before. I did not know that Mr. Glasbrow had a daughter as young as you,"

"He does not; he is my grandpapa."

"What are you reading?"

Luna showed him, as well as the other books. Her new companion seemed to be, at best, only mildly interested in the books, so she stood and showed him the things her grandfather brought back from his travels. They were standing in front of a statue of a purple monkey when the boy's eyes widened.

"There's a secret room behind the monkey!" he said, pointing at a faint outline of a door. He started looking for signs that the statue was magical, or if it hid levers for opening the hidden door. Luna hovered nervously behind him, unsure of what to do.

"Hey, someone might come in and find you doing that and you're going to get in trouble!"

"I won't get in trouble for this,"

"Yes you will,"

"No I'm _not_, and quit bugging!"

Unfortunately, no one came into the library to scold them, and Luna was even more confused when the boy gave a cry of triumph and pulled a lever concealed at the back of the monkey's head. At once, the door swung back and revealed a dark stone passage, with steps leading down. The boy went down the first two steps and turned, holding his hand out to Luna.

"Well," he said, "Aren't you going to come with me?"  
"I don't know you," she said, desperate for any cover. "I don't even know your name. And what if we don't get out of there? My mama might be looking for me, and aren't your parents looking for you too?"

"I'm Draco Malfoy," the boy said, drawing himself up to full height. Luna dimly remembered overhearing her parents talk about people with the same surname as the boy. "I'm sure we'll get out of here," he continued, "We have places like this at home, and if the door's on a wall, there's bound to be a way out."

"How about your parents? Surely, you did not come here alone,"

"My mother is outside, talking to a young lady. She is your mother, the one with the blue dress?" Luna nodded, and Draco Malfoy did as well. "Yes, mother was talking to her. Come on, you aren't scared of your own house, are you, little girl?"

"My name is Luna Lovegood, I am not scared of anything," Luna said evenly. She took the boy's hand, which was smooth and warm, a contrast to her cool one.

"Let's go and see what's down there," she said, smiling in the darkness.


End file.
